The American Chemistry Council (ACC) applauds President Trump for decisive action by issuing his Executive Order on drones—a much needed step to protect America from its adversaries. Importantly, the order will help safeguard chemical facilities and other critical infrastructure from drone attacks.
Drones offer tremendous benefits to the chemical industry by keeping workers out of harm’s way to perform equipment inspections, site surveillance, and emergency response. However, when misused, drones can pose serious risks. And those risks are already being realized. According to an ACC member survey, 85% of companies report having detected unauthorized drones near their facilities—incidents that could endanger workers, disrupt operations, or even lead to an attack. And as a result, almost all of the companies that responded support legislation to give law enforcement tools to mitigate drone threats.
Unfortunately, the current laws are a patchwork of state restrictions that do not do enough to allow facility operators or local law enforcement to effectively respond to drone threats. That’s why ACC continues to push for a robust federal framework to deal with drone-related risks, including:
- Finalizing FAA’s long-overdue “Section 2209 Rule,” which would allow critical infrastructure operators to request airspace restrictions;
- Enacting legislation to expand counter-UAS detection and mitigation authorities beyond a narrow group of federal agencies;
- Supporting pilot programs that equip state and local law enforcement with the tools and legal authority to stop unauthorized drone activity.
To emphasize the need for action ACC joined with a coalition of leading industry and law enforcement organizations to submit a letter to the Office of Management and Budget urging swift action on the Section 2209 Rule.
The urgency of adopting these measures is underscored by recent global events. Drone attacks on infrastructure in Russia and Ukraine have demonstrated how unmanned systems can be weaponized to disrupt energy grids and other essential services. These are not distant concerns - they highlight vulnerabilities that exist here at home.
On June 6, 2025, President Trump signed the Executive Order on Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty, a much-needed move to strengthen national security and respond to the growing threat of unauthorized drone activity. The EO calls for a federal task force to improve drone policy coordination, authorizes new enforcement tools for local law enforcement, and directs the FAA to expedite long-overdue airspace protections around sensitive sites, including chemical facilities.
President Trump’s order is a meaningful and welcome step forward to support the fight against terrorism. Now it is up to policymakers to follow through and put protections in place without any further delay. ACC is committed to working with the Administration, FAA, and Congress to help build a U.S. drone policy that continues to support innovation while protecting the infrastructure needed to power and grow the American economy.
